Keys to Missionary Work

Keys to Missionary Work

by David Ren Jenkins

1)      Develop a deep gratitude for what the Gospel of Jesus Christ has done in your life such that it is consciously in the forefront of your mind throughout your day. (In other words, you think about it constantly.)

2)      Perfect your love of others and your desire to see them blessed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This, too, must be consciously in the forefront of your mind throughout your day. Soften your heart through scripture reading, prayer, and fasting, but DOING it is what matters. If you so choose, ‘take it upon yourself’ to share the word of God ‘all the remainder of your days’. Read and pray about Helaman 5:4. Also  come up with a list of scriptures that inspire you to do missionary work, such as D&C 4, Alma 36:24, D&C 60:2, Mosiah 28:3. etc.  Read and ponder them DAILY. If you do not do this daily, it will just be something you think about occasionally, but never do!

3)      Care more about others than what others think of you. D&C 60:2

4)      ‘One is all that matters’. One person. One soul is all that matters in all of God’s creation. Learn to love ‘the one’ enough to share everywhere, for every person you ever meet means everything to God.

5)      Be ready for you greatest fear. My greatest fear is that someone will yell at me and treat me rudely. I am ready for that fear. If someone does yell at me or treat me rudely, then (inside my mind) I say, ‘Yes! I did it! I talked to them!’It doesn’t matter what they say. I am not after an answer of ‘yes’ or ‘no’. I am after a ‘way of life’ of sharing, and each time I share, it will be so much easier next time. Sharing the gospel is about getting yourself to do it, over and over, in the moment and getting used to that.

6)      Don’t base your self-worth, or any judgment at all on what they say.  Many people share the gospel and are so scared that the person might say ‘no’. IT IS OKAY IF THEY DO, as a matter of fact it is their right. When people feel it is okay for them, either way, they feel comfortable and will make a decision based on their heart instead of on ‘not wanting to hurt your feelings’.  This way they can feel the Spirit.

7)      Tell people what it means to you. Don’t try and convince them of anything through scriptural rhetoric and proof. Tell them what it has done for you (they can’t argue with that) and the Spirit will manifest the truth of it unto them.

8)      If you feel comfortable, they feel comfortable.

9)      The first thought is the Spirit saying, ‘Go talk to that person’.  The second thought is just you talking yourself out of it. Learn to recognize this! You can always give yourself ‘great reasons’ no to do anything (and you will find them!) Learn to talk yourself INTO it all day long.

10)   When the Lord knows you will talk to people, he will bring them out of their way.  This is a very important key. When you are willing and ready to talk to people (and maybe even pray and say, ‘Heavenly Father, please put people in my path today who are ready and I will talk to them.’) the Lord will drag them out of their way to meet you. When He drags them out of their way to bump into you and you just say, ‘Excuse me,’ and keep going, then He will be reluctant to do it again.

11)   Never condemn someone to saying ‘No’.  You can never tell if someone will say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. The person you are sure would say ‘yes’, may not be interested at all, and the person you thought would say ‘no’, may voraciously wish to hear the message. Never condemn someone to saying ‘no’ by not giving them the gift of choice. Let them decide.

12)   Share because you love them.  They will feel when you are speaking to them for this reason.

13)   Allow the goodness of the Spirit to flow within you as you speak.  You have so much ‘goodness’ inside, especially regarding the gospel. Allow it to animate you and your smile as you share the gospel.

14)   Know the strength of your message in the moment you share it.  In other words, ’No Stinky Rag’. If in the moment you share, you doubt anything about your message, yourself, or that the person may not want to talk to you, they will feel it. In the moment you speak, you must know the power of your message and the truth of it.

15)   Be conscious of where the other person is at, and follow the Spirit.  When called upon, bear a powerful testimony about the truth of this message. But if you feel inspired, be conscious that they might need something different. Telling them this is ‘the one true church’, when they don’t believe there is a true church, may be like telling them, ‘This is the one true yogurt and you must eat only this kind’. The Spirit will let you know, but be ready to witness the truth, powerfully, at all times and in all places (Mosiah 18:8-9).

16)   When they feel the Spirit, invite them to make a commitment  (go to church, etc.). The Church spent a lot of money researching how people become converted. They found that when people feel the Spirit, and are asked to make a commitment, then they keep it, that is how they are converted. The key here is to always ask, but especially ask if they feel the Spirit. That is a key moment.

17)   If the Lord knows you will talk to people, he will drag them out of their way.  When you are willing to talk to people everywhere, the Lord will set up opportunities.

18)   Train your mind to be a ‘Missionary Mind’. Train yourself to consciously see missionary opportunities everywhere, and you act on them.

It is my prayer you will learn to overcome your fear and share, and make a difference in the lives of others constantly. The gospel is true, and not only true but so important. It can change the heart of any man or woman and return them to who they are as a child of God. It is my prayer we will do so, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen- Brother David Jenkins

You can download a copy of the missionary book, In All Places (for all members) at

www.thecorporatepitchman.com/missionary.doc